Something Amiss

What about the things he'd said before?

If Yu Xiaogang could take them to heart, Yu Hong would think more highly of him.

Unfortunately, Yu Xiaogang wouldn't listen, because Yu Hong was the person Yu Xiaogang hated most.

If he could take those words to heart, Yu Xiaogang might be able to change his fate as a good-for-nothing.

Time flew by like a white colt flashing past a crack. In the blink of an eye, another year passed.

Throughout that year, Yu Hong kept up his daily routine of training and cultivation, never slacking off for a single day.

But he noticed something strange.

His level had remained stuck at 11, without any increase.

By rights, given the intensity of his cultivation and the resources invested, he should have gained at least one or two levels in a year.

But in reality, no matter how hard he cultivated, his Soul Power was like running water: the moment it gathered, it vanished without a trace.

At first, Yu Hong thought there was something wrong with his cultivation method.

He tried all sorts of different methods and even asked Yu Luomian for advice, but the results were all the same.

He just couldn't hold on to his Soul Power.

Then one day, while cultivating, he accidentally summoned his Martial Soul.

The White Stone of the Ancients floated above his palm, glowing with a faint white light.

Yu Hong stared at it for a while, then suddenly noticed something was wrong.

Numerous tiny cracks had appeared on the surface of the white stone.

They were packed together like a spiderweb, covering the entire surface of the stone.

And there were far more cracks than when he'd last examined it.

"What's this..." Yu Hong furrowed his brow and carefully sensed the state of his Martial Soul.

The next moment, his eyes flew wide open.

He sensed it.

The Soul Power he cultivated was being continuously absorbed by his Martial Soul.

The Soul Power that had disappeared hadn't vanished into thin air; it had all flowed into the Primordial White Stone.

"So that's it." Yu Hong suddenly understood.

All the Soul Power he'd cultivated over the past year had been absorbed by his Martial Soul to hatch.

No wonder his level had remained stuck at 11.

"Looks like this egg is about to hatch." Yu Hong gazed at the densely packed cracks, anticipation welling in his heart.

The more cracks there were, the faster the hatching was progressing.

At this rate, the egg should be fully hatched by this time next year.

When that happened, his Martial Soul would transform from an egg into a true Blue-Eyes White Dragon.

At the thought, the corners of Yu Hong's mouth lifted slightly.

Although he hadn't gained any levels from a year of cultivation, he didn't feel it had been a waste.

After all, the evolution of his Martial Soul was far more important than gaining levels.

A powerful Martial Soul was the true foundation of a Soul Master.

"Still, cultivation alone isn't enough." Yu Hong withdrew his Martial Soul and stood up. "I need practical combat experience."

Over the past year, he'd trained his body every day, but had seen very little real combat.

His previous spar with Yu Xiaogang hadn't counted as a real fight at all.

It had been nothing more than a one-sided crushing.

He needed to find some real opponents to hone his combat skills.

And the best opponents were Soul Beasts.

"I should go train in another forest." Yu Hong made up his mind.

The Soul Hunting Forest belonging to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan had plenty of Soul Beasts, but they were all captive-bred, and their fighting instincts had greatly deteriorated.

For a true trial, he needed to go to a forest out in the wild.

Yu Hong packed a few necessary items, then went to inform Yu Luomian.

Yu Luomian was a little surprised to hear he wanted to go out for training, but then nodded in agreement.

"Going out to train is a good thing, but be careful." Yu Luomian cautioned him. "Don't push yourself when you're in danger. Staying alive matters most."

"I understand." Yu Hong nodded.

"Where are you planning to go?"

"The outskirts of Greenwood Forest," Yu Hong said. "There are many kinds of Soul Beasts there, and those on the outskirts aren't too old, so they're better suited to my current strength."

Yu Luomian thought for a moment, then took a token from his robes and handed it to Yu Hong.

"This is my token. You can use it if you run into trouble. There are a few small towns near Greenwood Forest, and our Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan has people there. Show them this token, and they'll help you."

"Thank you, Vice Clan Leader." Yu Hong took the token and carefully put it away.

"Go on. Train hard." Yu Luomian patted him on the shoulder. "I'll be looking forward to seeing how you perform in the tournament a year from now."

"Rest assured, Vice Clan Leader."

Yu Hong turned and set out for Greenwood Forest.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.

Shouts rang out from Yu Xiaogang's courtyard.

"Ha! Ha! Ha!"

Yu Xiaogang was practicing his punches in the courtyard. Each punch cut through the air, and he looked quite impressive.

After a year of recovery and training, his body had fully healed.

Although the hidden damage to his meridians remained and his cultivation speed was much slower than before, at least it didn't affect his ability to fight normally.

And throughout that year, he'd been training hard.

He hadn't just been cultivating Soul Power; he'd also been working on his physical strength.

The last time Yu Hong had beaten him so badly had left him with a deep psychological shadow.

He'd finally realized that relying on his Martial Soul wasn't enough; his own strength mattered too.

"Hmph, Yu Hong, just you wait." Yu Xiaogang punched a wooden post, making it shake violently. "This time, I'll knock you flat!"

His eyes blazed with the fire of revenge.

He'd thought about getting revenge every waking moment of the past year.

He'd never forget the day Yu Hong had beaten him to a pulp.

Those slaps, those punches, and the look in Yu Hong's eyes as he looked down on him...

Every time he remembered it, his teeth ground with rage.

"Young Master, it's time to rest." A servant came over and handed him a towel.

Yu Xiaogang took the towel, wiped off his sweat, and asked, "What has Yu Hong been doing lately?"

"Reporting to you, Young Master. Young Master Yu Hong has been cultivating at home lately and rarely goes out," the servant replied.

"Hmph, what a coward." Yu Xiaogang sneered. "He must be afraid of me and too scared to come out."

He tossed the towel to the servant and strode toward the door.

"Young Master, where are you going?"

"To find Yu Hong." Yu Xiaogang didn't look back. "I'll show him that I'm not someone he can push around!"

The servant opened his mouth, wanting to dissuade him, but ultimately said nothing.

He knew his young master's temper. There was no talking him out of it.

Yu Xiaogang made his way to the entrance of Yu Hong's courtyard and raised his hand to knock.

But as soon as he lifted it, he noticed the door was ajar.

"Hm?" Yu Xiaogang frowned and pushed the door open.

The courtyard was empty.

"Yu Hong! Get out here!" Yu Xiaogang shouted.

No one answered.

He went inside and found the house empty too.

The bed was neatly made, and there wasn't a thing on the table. It looked as if no one had lived there for a long time.

"Where is he?" Yu Xiaogang wondered.